Sowhenthey had finished breakfast,Jesussaidto SimonPeter,"Simon,[son] of John,do you loveMe morethan these?"He saidto Him, "Yes,Lord;You knowthat I loveYou." He saidto him, "TendMy lambs."
But he saidto him, "My lordknowsthat the childrenare frailand that the flocksand herdswhich are nursingare a careto me. And if they are drivenhardoneday,allthe flockswill die.
"Againwhatmorecan Davidsayto You? For You knowYour servant,O LordGOD!
"Remembernow,OLORD,I beseechYou, howI have walkedbeforeYou in truthand with a wholeheartand have donewhatis goodin Your sight."And Hezekiahweptbitterly.
Like a shepherdHe will tendHis flock,In His armHe will gatherthe lambsAnd carry[them] in His bosom;He will gently leadthe nursing[ewes].
"I will also raiseup shepherdsoverthem and they will tendthem; and they will not be afraidanylonger,norbe terrified,norwill any be missing,"declaresthe LORD.
"Then I will giveyou shepherdsafter My own heart,who will feedyou on knowledgeand understanding.
"Then I will setoverthem oneshepherd,My servantDavid,and he will feedthem; he will feedthem himselfand be their shepherd.
Then he saidto me, "Theseare the boilingplaceswherethe ministersof the houseshall boilthe sacrificesof the people."
"He who lovesfatherormothermorethanMe is not worthyof Me; and he who lovessonordaughtermore thanMe is not worthyof Me.
And Jesussaidto him, "Blessedare you, SimonBarjona,becausefleshand blooddid not reveal[this] to you, but My Fatherwhois in heaven.
"Seethat you do not despiseoneof theselittle ones,for I sayto you that their angelsin heavencontinuallyseethe faceof My Fatherwho is in heaven.
But Petersaidto Him, "[Even] thoughallmay fallawaybecauseof You, I will neverfall away."
Petersaidto Him, "Even ifI haveto diewith You, I will not denyYou." Allthe disciplessaidthe same thingtoo.
But Petersaidto Him, "[Even] thoughallmay fall away,yetI will not."
"Do not be afraid,littleflock,for your Fatherhas chosen gladlyto giveyou the kingdom.
but I have prayedfor you, that your faithmay not fail;and you, when onceyou have turned again,strengthenyour brothers."
He broughthim to Jesus.Jesuslookedat him and said,"You are Simonthe sonof John;you shall be calledCephas"(whichis translatedPeter).
Petersaidto Him, "Lord,whycanI not followYou right now?I will lay downmy lifefor You."
for the FatherHimselflovesyou, becauseyou have lovedMe and have believedthat I came forthfrom the Father.
Jesussaidto them, "Come[and] have breakfast."Noneof the disciplesventuredto questionHim, "Whoare You?" knowingthat it was the Lord.
Thereforethat disciplewhomJesuslovedsaidto Peter,"It is the Lord."Sowhen SimonPeterheardthat it was the Lord,he puthis outer garmenton (for he was stripped[for work]), and threwhimselfinto the sea.
Jesussaidto them, "IfGodwere your Father,you would loveMe, for I proceeded forthand have comefrom God,for I have not evencomeon My own initiative,but He sentMe.
"Be on guardfor yourselvesand for allthe flock,amongwhichthe HolySpirithas madeyou overseers,to shepherdthe churchof GodwhichHe purchasedwith His ownblood.
"I knowthat aftermy departuresavagewolveswill comein amongyou, not sparingthe flock;
Nowacceptthe one who is weakin faith,[but] not for [the purpose of] passing judgmenton his opinions.
Nowwe who are strongoughtto bearthe weaknessesof thosewithout strengthand not [just] pleaseourselves.
For throughyour knowledgehe who is weakis ruined,the brotherfor whosesakeChristdied.
For in ChristJesusneithercircumcisionnoruncircumcisionmeansanything,but faithworkingthroughlove.
As a result,we are no longerto be children,tossed here and there by wavesand carried aboutby everywindof doctrine,by the trickeryof men,by craftinessin deceitfulscheming;
Gracebe with allthosewho loveour LordJesusChristwith incorruptible[love].
Nowthe Godof peace,who broughtup from the deadthe greatShepherdof the sheepthroughthe bloodof the eternalcovenant,[even] Jesusour Lord,
And there is nocreaturehiddenfrom His sight,but all thingsare openand laid bareto the eyesof Him with whomwe have to do.
and though you have not seenHim, you loveHim, and though you do not seeHim now,but believein Him, you greatly rejoicewith joyinexpressibleand full of glory,
likenewbornbabies,longfor the puremilkof the word,sothat by it you may growin respectto salvation,
For you were continually strayinglikesheep,but nowyou have returnedto the Shepherdand Guardianof your souls.
We love,becauseHe firstlovedus.
Whoeverbelievesthat Jesusis the Christis bornof God,and whoeverlovesthe Fatherlovesthe [child] bornof Him.
And I will killher childrenwith pestilence,and allthe churcheswill knowthat I amHe who searchesthe mindsand hearts;and I will giveto each oneof you accordingto your deeds.
